Death Penalty

Washington’s death penalty system is broken, expensive, and unfair. With the state facing a staggering $2 billion budget hole, why does Washington continue to spend tax dollars on a death penalty system that doesn't make us safer? The death penalty is costly, unfair, and poses an unacceptable risk of executing the innocent.

Resources

An ACLU brief asserts that the state’s system of capital punishment is fundamentally flawed and must be struck down: Joining in the brief are 56 former and retired judges from around the state and a wide range of other organizations.

Assurances about lethal injection rest on the premise that inmates are sedated and unconscious before other excruciating drugs are administered. The horrifying experiences of recent executions make clear these assurances are false. The drugs used in recent executions produced not a sleep into death but many wakeful minutes of struggle and pain. Such executions are clear violations of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment and require investigation and action.

The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees every person the right to a fair trial. However, if the prosecution is making racist remarks and presenting racially-charged evidence throughout the trial, this right is violated.

Opponents to the death penalty have been stating many reasons, for many years, why the death penalty should be removed from our judicial system. In March of this year, Daniel J. Evans, our former governor, added his powerful voice and told the Washington Legislature about his reasons:
“When I became governor in 1965 the death penalty was not an issue. Challenges of redistricting, education, social services, and transportation filled the legislative agenda.

On February 12th, nearly 60 concerned people from 26 legislative districts came together to voice their opposition to Washington state’s death penalty. From Bellingham and Vancouver to Spokane and Walla Walla, constituents trekked to Olympia to meet with their elected officials.

Recently, a group of community organizations released Facing Race, a report that assesses that the voting records of Washington state legislators in promoting racial equity. Notably, the report recognizes ending the death penalty is one change that our state representatives should make to advance the goal of racial justice in Washington.

At a press conference in the State Capitol, family members of murder victims talked about why the death penalty does not meet their needs. They urged passage of legislation to replace the death penalty in Washington with life in prison without parole.

California voters narrowly rejected Proposition 34, a ballot measure to replace the death penalty with a sentence of life without parole. Although a majority of voters chose to retain the death penalty, the fact that close to half the voters supported repeal represents a dramatic shift away from capital punishment.